Christer and Karin 8/7/12

A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday, we had another wonderful experience. (It seems that our time here in Sweden has been filled with fantastic experiences with great people.) So much happened with so much to say about the people and the activities in this story that I have delayed this writing until now.

Two of the main characters in this story are Christer Österlund and his wife Karin. Karin was Jannicke's mission companion in Northern Sweden where it really gets cold. Christer was born in Northern Sweden and moved on his own to Stockholm when he was 18 after he had been baptized. He was the only one in his family to be baptized.



Christer and Karin Österlund

When he moved to Stockholm, he became an integral part of the Church's youth group. Mom was there with him for one summer before leaving for America. The group did things together on Sunday nights and Mom's parents invited him to their home.

Eventually Karin and he were married (I don't know the details, but there must be a story there also) because they were both living in Canada.) They returned to Sweden, were married, and had four children - two girls and two boys. They developed a close friendship with Erik and Anna who loved to invite them over to eat and to spend time with their children. Anna and Christer then worked together in the translation department. Christer says that he heard all the stories about Anna's daughters and their families. In fact, he recounted some of the stories to us which were pretty accurate. Christer then went back to school and became a physical therapist from which he is now retired. Karin taught school and is now retired also. She is a very accomplished musician.

Now for the present story. Christer and Karin invited Mom and I, Bengt and Inger Höglund (whom we talked about in an earlier post when we were invited to dinner at their home), and two member sisters whose husbands were working out of the country to have lunch and to spend the evening playing games with them at their home. Below is a picture of Bengt and Inger Höglund.

The Österlunds took us for lunch in a private art museum called Artipelag. It was just opened this Spring on a beautiful spot in pine trees overlooking the Baltic Sea. It was a buffet with seating outside under the trees and sculptures around. We talked and enjoyed the setting. We then went through the art museum which had the theme of Life in Points of Time (this isn't a quote, but my interpretation). The paintings and art were interesting but the greatest "art" was the current and present beautiful nature that you could see through the large floor-to-ceiling large glass windows interspersing the art. My thinking was that there can be nothing as beautiful as our own current lives that God has given us right now. And, we are so thankful for all our children, grand children, wonderful people that Mom has been able to renew relationships with here because of her parents, etc., and the marvelous temple work that we are experiencing.

We then walked along the water's edge and later went back to Christer and Karin's apartment where we had wonderful strawberry, cake, and other fantastic desserts. We played dominos and a card game with true friends. How much better can that be! I can think of some, but this rates among the top as decades of relationships were reunited.